Visions of Nashville: Conference Celebrates Ellen White's 196th Birthday with a Walk-Through Display

In a nostalgic celebration that transported visitors back in time, the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference office hosted a walk-through display called "Visions of Nashville.” This walk-through display celebrated Ellen White's 196th birthday and took place on November 19 at the conference office.

The event was prepared by two Highland, Tenn., church members, Albert Dittes and Kathy Ross. Dittes, the driving force behind the event, took care of the research and writing portion of the exhibit, while Ross, the other half of the dynamic duo, handled the copy editing and created the engaging walk-through display.

The event provided a captivating exploration of Ellen White's influence on Nashville, with a focus on key institutions such as the Southern Publishing Association, Riverside Sanitarium and Hospital, Madison College, and the Nashville First Church. Attendees were particularly captivated by the in-depth study of Ellen White's fireball vision, which shed context on the Nashville dream.

Greta Tindall, who attends the Jamestown, Tenn., Church, expressed her enthusiasm for the event.

"My biggest takeaway [from the display] was learning how all these [church pioneers] were just like us,” Tindall said. “You read a little bit about their good points and bad points, and it shows you how they had a day-to-day experience just like we do. It’s inspiring because despite their flaws, they accomplished so many great things and were great servants of God.”

Dittes says he is happy attendees were inspired.

"Ellen White's legacy in Nashville is a story that needed to be told,” Dittes said. “She said Nashville was a center of influence – and nowadays it’s kind of become a tourist Mecca. So, this is all just a reminder that the Lord is calling us [to be an influence], and His work is very important.”